One of the most underrated, least-spoken of units for the New England Patriots entering 2020 is the offensive line.
The secondary, special teams and running back corps have earned well-deserved praise. New England’s linebacker, tight end and wide receiver groups have drawn criticism based off the lack of depth. The quarterback position has been in a flux after Tom Brady’s departure and these factors have left little talk on the offensive line.
Brady’s absence will leave a heavy emphasis on the defense and running backs to keep the team afloat. The offensive line will be the foundation for everything the Patriots plan on doing this season and they won’t have the league’s greatest quarterback to cover up mistakes. Fortunately, if healthy, the Patriots will carry one of the league’s best groups.
Long-time offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia retired this offseason, leaving skepticism heading into 2020. Cole Popovich and Carmen Bricillo will join up and hold down Scarnecchia’s role the best they can.
Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzalo ranked the offensive line groups of all 32 NFL teams and put New England at No. 7.
The Patriots finished 10th in our 2019 rankings, and they should have a unit capable of cracking the top 10 once again. Left tackle Isaiah Wynn has played just 563 snaps after being drafted in the first round in 2018 and graded out at 70.7 overall last year, good for 34th among 89 tackles. Wynn got off to a good start in what was essentially his rookie season and showed he was capable in pass protection with a 75.0 grade. Right tackle Marcus Cannon has graded at 70.0-plus over the past four years, though last season’s 70.1 mark is his lowest during that span. He has developed into one of the more dependable right tackles in the league after turning his career around in 2016 with an 86.6 grade that tied for sixth among all tackles.
On the inside, left guard Joe Thuney has improved his grade in every season since entering the league in 2016. He finished with a 79.2 overall mark in 2019, good for fifth among guards. Thuney graded out at 88.0 as a pass protector, allowing just 17 pressures on 732 attempts after improving his ability to handle power players. Right guard Shaq Mason is one of the better run blockers in the league, capable of collapsing defenders at the line of scrimmage or locating them on the move. Mason’s 86.9 overall grade since 2016 ranks fifth among guards.
At center, David Andrews returns after missing all of 2019 due to injury. Andrews has graded at 67.0 or better in each year as a starter from 2015 to 2018, including a career-high 82.1 mark in 2017. While the starting five has plenty of experience, New England has an intriguing group of first- and second-year players — including tackles Yodny Cajuste and Justin Herron and guards Hjalte Froholdt and Michael Onwenu. That group gives the Patriots excellent depth and flexibility when building for the future.
If Cam Newton earns the starting role, he’ll have one of the best lines in his NFL career. It’ll keep him in the pocket and minimize the amount of times he has to scramble and risk injury. Everything starts with the trenches and the Patriots have a top-notch foundation to work with next season.
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